Agriculture is a critical, essential industry

I am a worker in the agriculture industry. Pursuant to Section 2 of the Colorado Public Health Order 20-24 (“PHO”), amended March 25, 2020, “agriculture” has been deemed by the state of Colorado to be “critical infrastructure.”

Specifically, the PHO indicates that “[f]ood and plant cultivation, including farming crops, livestock, food processing and manufacturing, animal feed and feed products, rendering, commodity sales, and any other work critical to the operation of any component of the food supply chain” and “any business that produces products critical or incidental to the construction or operation” of food and plant cultivation falls within this designation of critical infrastructure. Critical infrastructure is exempt from the PHO’s directive to remain at home.

Travel between farm and ranch operations, supply stores, and other businesses and operations is necessary ensure the continued provision of a safe and affordable supply of food, fiber, and fuel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, consistent with the PHO you should not interfere with my performance of these activities.

Rest assured, as a critical business we acknowledge our responsibility to follow good hygiene and social distancing as we go about our work, including taking all necessary steps to observe the following practices:

• maintaining at least a six-foot distance from other individuals,
• washing hands with soap and water for at least twenty seconds as frequently as possible or using hand sanitizer,
• covering coughs or sneezes (into the sleeve or elbow, not hands),
• regularly cleaning high-touch surfaces, and
• not shaking hands

Members of our operation who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have a family member experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 have been directed to remain at home.